Brainstorming in 8 simple steps. This presentation was created for a Student Leader Training session as part of my Capstone Project. 1) Brainstorming is about generating ideas. Generate as much as possible. Quality comes later. 2) The Gods of Event Planning have deemed brainstorming a judgment free zone to allow for the creative juices to flow. They are less lenient in the evaluation phase of event planning. 3) What happens in the shower, stays in the shower. So often we come up with great ideas in the shower, but by the time we are back in our room, the idea has left our head and that nagging feeling of almost awesomeness is left behind. Make sure to record every thing. 4) As we start brainstorming, the endless list of ideas start pouring out. However, it is important to set a time limit to keep the process moving. Brainstorming is a circular process and you can always brainstorm more ideas. 5) Once everyone in the group has brainstormed individually, it is time to share. Have a recorded write down all the responses on a large piece of paper so everyone can see as the list of ideas grows. 6) Once all the responses are recorded, go down the list one by one and have everyone vote for their favorite ideas (top 3, top 5, etc.). 7) Eliminate items from the list that receive the lowest amount of votes. Repeat the process until you have a short list of about 5 ideas. 8) Discuss each idea and make sure everyone has an opportunity to share their thoughts. Continue to take notes during the discussion.

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